More than 300 inmates treated as scabies-like rash spreads through Nashville jail

Hundreds of local inmates are receiving treatment for what appears to be a scabies outbreak at a Nashville jail, officials said.

A spokeswoman for the privately run jail said staff first noticed a rash three weeks ago. A Metro health official confirmed learning of the rashes in mid-May, but did not start administering treatments until Thursday.

The outbreak is now keeping the female inmates of the Davidson County Detention Center away from court hearings, and one Nashville judge said a murder trial in his courtroom was delayed after a lawyer was infected, too.

Criminal Court Judge Steve Dozier, who delayed the case, said he was concerned jail staff did not notify the courts soon enough.

"To the extent that there’s any communicable disease issue within a jail facility, courts ought to be notified" out of concern for the inmates and court staff, he said.

An 'evolving issue' 

The parasite was found in inmates at the jail facility on Harding Place in Antioch, court administrators and health department officials confirmed. The 1,300-bed facility is operated by the private prison company CoreCivic, a company previously known as Corrections Corporation of America or CCA. 

As of now, roughly 320 inmates are receiving treatment, with 20 to 25 confirmed to have rashes, said Brian Todd, public information officer for the Metro Public Health Department. Those numbers could change though, he said. 

Scabies is a skin infestation by the human itch mite, which often leads to an itchy rash, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Scabies is a parasite that burrows under the skin," Todd elaborated. 

CoreCivic spokeswoman Amanda Gilchrist said the first inmate sought medical treatment for a rash about three weeks ago. Todd said "it took time to investigate" the rashes and causes, which led to a delay in treatment. 

Gilchrist said inmates with rashes and those without symptoms will receive treatment if they are within the three housing units mainly affected. No employees have sought treatment yet, she said. 

On Wednesday, representatives of the health department, public defender's office and CoreCivic met, according to an email from John Ford, chief deputy in the sheriff's office. He wrote that CoreCivic has some medication on hand, and the rest would arrive in 24 hours.

While experts haven't confirmed the rash is caused by scabies, Todd said the typical scabies treatment of a pill or cream is apparently working. 

Direct contact spreads the parasite

On Thursday morning, courthouse staff were cautioned about the outbreak. 

No one who works there is "at-risk unless they came in direct contact with someone that has a confirmed case of scabies," an email sent to all General Sessions staffers reads. "However, if you do develop symptoms, contact my office or your supervisor for the appropriate ... paperwork.

"This has been an evolving issue and Presiding Judge (Gale) Robinson and Judge (Melissa) Blackburn have been making continuing efforts in consultation with DCSO, Health Dept, and Core Civic to get this issue resolved as soon as possible."

Trial Court Administrator Tim Townsend said as a precautionary measure, no female inmates from the facility would be brought to Nashville's courthouses for court hearings scheduled Thursday or Friday. Those court dates will be rescheduled, he said. 

Scabies can spread quickly in crowded places where there is close skin-to-skin contact, such as nursing homes and prisons, according to the CDC.

An email obtained by The Tennessean, which was sent more than a week ago from the health department to court staff and copied to sheriff's officials, indicates there was a problematic rash at the facility.

Cathy Seigenthaler, director of Metro Public Health Department's Correctional Health Services, recommended in the May 24 email that the "top five worst rash cases" submit to blood tests.

She wrote that no confirmed scabies cases had been diagnosed and said the jail was following proper laundry and cleaning procedures.

Gilchrist said the sheriff's office and Metro public health were notified of the issue "from the start" but didn't elaborate when signs of the rash spreading were first noticed. 

"We’re following all protocols and guidelines to mitigate the issue. For example, all female inmates within the three impacted housing units are receiving treatment as a precaution, and the impacted housing units and inmate clothing and laundry are being disinfected," Gilchrist said. 

In addition to barring the inmates from going to court until Monday, all activities, including visitation at the jail, also have been canceled until Monday "in order to protect visitors and volunteers," she said. 

Reach Stacey Barchenger at sbarchenger@tennessean.com or 615-887-1619 and on Twitter @sbarchenger. Reach Dave Boucher at dboucher@tennessean.com or 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.